Clothes-drier.



B. n. CADWELL.

CLOTHES DRIER. APPLICATION mm JUNE 12. \914.

Patented May 30,1916.

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Patented May 30,1916,

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BENJAMIN D. CAD'WELL, OF HASTINGS, MINNESOTA.

CLOTHES-DRIER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 12, 1914. Serial No. 844,731.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN D. CAD- WELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hastings, in the county of Dakota and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Clothes-Driers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to clothes driers and has for an object to construct a durable device which is capable of expeditious manipulation.

Another object of the invention is to provide a drier frame which is slidably mounted on a support so as to be elevated when desired and permitting its rotation by the atmospherical pressure on the clothes which are supported on the drier frame, the drier frame being automatically lowered at the option of the operator by its own weight, suitable means being provided to regulate the speed of the descent inorder to prevent distortion or mutilation of the parts by the sudden impact when the frame strikes the supporting base.

A further ob ect of the invention is to provide an improved means to prevent rota tion of the drier frame when the latter is in a lowered position so as to permit the clothes to be readily hung thereon, means likewise being provided to facilitate the actuation of the drier frame on the supporting rod.

Other objects as well as the nature, characteristic features and scope-of my invention will be more readily understood from the following description takenin connection with the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the claims forming a part of this specification.

Referring to the drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a drier constructed in accordance with my invention, showing it secured to a platform, Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view of the drier base,vFig. 8 is a detailed enlarged fragmentary view of the drier showing to advantage the mechanism for retaining the drier frame in a predetermined position, likewise the means for regulating the velocity of the descent, Fig. 4 is a fragmentary side elevational view of one of the drier arms, Fig. 5 is a detailed fragmentary view of the'supporting rod showing the manner of connection between the rotatable disk on the rod and v the elevating cables,

and Fig. 6 is a detailed fragmentary elevational view of one of the sides of the frame showing the means which is associated therewith for preventing rotation of the drier frame when the latter is engaged with its supporting base.

In the drawings wherein is illustrated the preferred embodiment of this invention in order to illustrate the application thereof, a platform 5 is shown, although any other supporting means may be used.

My improved clothes drier in the present instance which is associated-with the platform 5 is generally designated 6 and comprises an elongated cylindrical rod 7, the lower end of which is engaged through a base 8, and keyed thereto, as indicated at 9, so as to prevent its rotation therein, said base being detachably engagedto the platform by bolts 10, the upper face of the base 8 being provided with a recess 11 for a purpose which will subsequently appear.

Slidably mounted on the supporting rod 7 is a drier frame 12, in the present instance comprising parallel side members which are engagedat theirupper and lower ends in any suitable manner, the upper end being in I Patented May 30, 1916.

engagement with diverging arms 13 which are secured thereto in any suitable manner. Each of the arms in the present instance is provided with a multiplicity of equidistant apertures 1a through which the clothes line is engaged, the outer ends of said arms having plates 15 detachably associated therewith through the medium of hook-bolts 16, said hook-bolts adapted to receive a clothes line therein if so desired. It is furthermore seen that if instead of the apertures 14, it is so desired, hooks 17 may be depended from the lower marginal edges of the arms 13,

said hooks permitting the'clothes line to be readily engaged with or disengaged from the arms when it is so desired. 'Each'of the arms 13 i held in engagement with the body of the frame by brace members 18, the latter in the present instance comprising elongated rods, the outer end of each of which is provided with a ring or loop 19 which'is engaged with the plate 15 on the lower outer end of the arm, on one side of the bolt 16 and engaged with the upper marginal edge of the arm on the opposite side of the bolt as advantageously illustrated in Fig. To further serve in holding the arms 13'1n'the1r proper'positions, a bridge 20 is associated with the upper face of each 1 of the arms for engagement with the brace 4 18, thereby holding the latter in spaced re lation to the upper face of the arm, as likewise shown to advantage in Fig. 4:.

A supporting sleeve 21 is detachably engaged with the supporting rod 7 by a screw 22, said sleeve being normally held in a fixed position and being engaged with the inner face of a relatively larger disk 23, the latter being rotatably mounted on the supporting rod 7 superposed on the sleeve 21. A disk 23 is secured to the rod 7 at a point above the rotatable disk 23, the purpose of which will be described more fully herein after. An actuating means, generally designated 27, for the drum 26 is engaged with oneof the side members of the frame 12 and comprises an enlarged wheel with whlch 1s associated an operating handle, said wheel being secured to a gear wheel 28, the latter 7 adapted for engagement with a pawl 29 which is pivotally mounted on the frame above the gear wheel 28, the upper end. of said pawl providing a handle 30 by which it is disengaged from the gear Wheel 28, being normally engaged therewith by elastic element 31. A brake shoe 32 is associated with the pawl 29 approximately midway its ends, said shoe provided with an arcuate contacting base for engagement with the outer periphery of the operating wheel 27, so as to regulate the velocity of the descent of the frame 12 on the rod 7, since when the pawl 29 is disengaged from the wheel 28, the brake shoe 32 will be engaged with the wheel 27, so as to regulate the speed of the latter by the pressure exerted on the handle 30.

Intermediate the ends of the'frame 12 and held between the disks 23 and 23' is a bracket 33 in the present instance comprising a metallic plate, one edge of which extends beyond the plane of the frame and has the opposite ends thereof turned at right angles to the body to provide ears with which is revolubly engaged the opposite ends of the roller 34, the latter facilitating the actuation of the frame on the supporting rod 7.

It will be noted that when the shaft 26 is rotated, pressure is exerted on the cables 25 causing the frame 12 to be bodily moved upon the rod 7. The plate 33 is held from vertical movement between the disk 23 and a washer 23', thereby limiting the vertical movement of the frame 12 on the rod 7.

Depending from the plate 33 adjacent its peripheral edge are hooks 24: which are engaged by elevating cables 25, one end of each ofwhich is in engagement with a rotatable drum 26, the rotation of which causes the frame 12 to move upwardly on the rod 7, the drum 26 being mounted in sa dframe adjacent the lower end thereof. Mounted on the lower end of one ofthe sides of the drier frame 12 is an angle iron 35, one end of which is fixedly secured to said frame and the opposite end being extended outwardly therefrom and in parallelism therewith, to provide a housing in which is fixedly mounted a stop 36, comprising an annular disk which is secured in said housing by a rod 37, said stop adapted for engagement in the recess 11 of the base 8 to prevent movement of the frame 12 when the latter is in a lowered position.

In operation, assuming that the frame is in its lowermost position, in which instance the stop 36 is engaged in the recess 11 of the base 8. The clothes are then engaged with the arms 13, after which pressure is exerted on the wheel 27 so as to cause the drum 26 to be actuated, thereby reeling the cables 25 on the periphery of said drum, so as to cause the actuation of the frame upwardly on the supporting rod 7, and being held in any desired elevated position through the instrumentality of the pawl 29 which is normally engaged with the ratchet wheel 28 by the elastic element 31. Should it be desired to lower the frame 12 on the supporting rod 7, pressure is exerted on the handle end 30 of the pawl 29, causing the latter to be disengaged from the ratchet wheel 28 and permitting the frame to automatically slide downwardly on the rod 7 by its own weight, the velocity of the descent being regulated by the pressure which is exerted on the handle 30 in View of the brake-shoe 32 heretofore described.

It will be understood that the above description and accompanying drawings comprehend only the general and preferred embodiment of my invention and that various minor changes in details of construction,

proportion and arrangement of parts may be made within the scope of the appended claims and without sacrificing any of the advantages of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention what I claim as new and desire'to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A clothes drier including a vertically movable drier frame, said frame being slidable within a guiding bracket secured to a central standard, means associated with the frame for holding it from rotation when in its lowermost position, mechanism in con- -nect1on with the frame to limit the vertical movement of the latter, and facilitating operation thereof, said frame being rotatable when in an elevated position to expedite drying of the clothes.

2. A clothes drier including a supporting rod, a frame slidably mounted on said rod, a bracket secured to said rod and associated with the frame to guide the same in its vertical movement, a drum revolubly mounted on said frame and having cables associated therewith and being in connection with said rod for elevating the frame on said rod when the drum is rotated, an operating means in connection with said drum for rotating the latter, a pawl carried by said frame for cooperation with the operating means to retain the same in a predetermined position on said rod, and a brake-shoe carried by said pawl for regulating the velocity of the descent of said frame on said rod.

3. A clothes drier including a base, a rod secured to the base, a frame vertically adjustable on the rod, a bracket having its corners extended and downturned to embrace the side members of the frame secured to the rod, and means for adjusting the frame.

4:. A clothes drier including a base, a rod secured to the base, a frame adjustable on the rod, a bracket revolubly carried by the rod and associated with the frame to guide Copies of this patent may be obtained for the same in its movement on the rod, and

means for adjusting the frame.

5. A clothes drier including a base, a vertical rod secured to the base, a rectangular frame adjustable on the rod, a plate having its ends cut away to receive the side bars of the frame, and the extensions thus formed downturned, revolubly secured to the rod and held in position by collars fixedly secured to the rod, a roller carried transversely of the frame and in engagement therewith by the said extensions, and means for adjusting the frame on the rod.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

BENJAMIN D. CADWELL.

\Vitnesses: JOHN TERRIEN, H. M. SGHAFFER.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. 0. 

